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Peach State's top-rated recruit elects to stay in-state

ALBANY | The long wait is finally over for Trenton Thompson and Georgia.

Thompson knew he wanted to honor his grandparents and decided to do so while making a life decision — committing to his college choice.

As expected, the five-star defensive lineman picked the Bulldogs over offers from nearly every program in college football Tuesday night at a ceremony at Westover High School.

“It feels great,” Thompson said of picking Georgia. “I can’t wait to get up there. Coach Mark Richt is a Christian-based coach, and that’s what I like a lot about him.”

Thompson’s commitment may be the most significant of Georgia’s class of 2015. Not only does Scout.com consider him the No. 6 overall prospect in the country, but he’s been to Athens for unofficial visits no fewer than six times over the last two years.

Thompson’s frequent visits to Athens backed up his claim that the Bulldogs were at the top of his list in the recruiting game. Thompson has been considered a must-get prospect for the Bulldogs for some time.

Losing Thompson, who is considered the top overall prospect in Georgia, would have been a devastating jab to the Bulldogs’ recruiting plans. But now Thompson joins Callaway athlete Terry Godwin to give Georgia two five-star prospects and two of the top four players in the state.

The Bulldogs are still in heavy pursuit and could land Macon County linebacker Roquan Smith, Lakeside defensive back Rashad Roundtree and Tucker defensive lineman Jonathan Ledbetter, who is publicly committed to Alabama, but is widely considered by recruiting analysts to favor Georgia over the Crimson Tide at this time.

“I know that I can help get great players up to Athens with me,” Thompson said.

With Thompson’s commitment Tuesday night, the Bulldogs jumped up three spots in Scout.com’s national recruiting rankings from No. 11 to No. 8.

Georgia’s coaching staff, including Mike Bobo and defensive line coach Tracy Rocker, who were both important parts of the Bulldogs’ early relationship with Thompson, took to Twitter in their customary celebratory manner after the announcement. Thompson specifically mentioned Rocker’s importance to his recruitment.

“Coach Rocker is a great coach,” Thompson said. “I think he can teach me the insides and outsides of how to be a defensive lineman. He won the Lombardi Award and Outland Trophy in the same year (as a player in 1988 at Auburn). I think he’s the best coach in the SEC to coach me.”

Westover starts its football season against Lee County on August 23rd at 1PM. The game will be televised by ESPN.